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theblacklodgebookshelf's reviews
540 reviews
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Whilst for the most part this is a fun, engaging and fast moving fantasy book – I personally found it too hard to ignore the many problems I experienced with it. Instead of being captivated by the story I found myself frustrated with the heavy info dumping, time jumps between chapters and repetitive behaviours or conversations that were being had between Violet & Xaden.
I also absolutely hate ‘other woman’ drama in a book – especially if it adds zero value to the plot.
I was so excited for this sequel (I rated Fourth Wing 5 stars) but I was left feeling really underwhelmed and mentally fried.
I will probably continue with the series, but I’m not going to be in any rush.
3.5 stars
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a solid sequel, but it didn’t quite capture the magic of the first book imo. Belladonna was a favourite of mine last year and I was so excited to see more of Signa & Death. But I feel like Death really took a backseat in this book.
Foxglove seemed to be more of a transition book that concluded Signa & Death’s story and sets up Blythe & Fate’s. Which is ok - but it’s not quite what I was expecting?
We follow a similar set up to the first book whereby Signa (and now Blythe) take it upon themselves to solve a murder before the wrong man is hanged. This time not only with the help of Death, but now his meddlesome ‘brother’ Fate who is convinced that Signa is his reincarnated wife.
I enjoyed the plot, and I liked the love/hate relationship between Death & Fate. Love triangles are not my favourite trope but I thought this was done well.
I will be reading the next book when it comes out, but I have to say that Blythe isn’t my favourite character so I’m a bit hesitant!
4 stars
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I really didn’t know what to expect from this book. I went in with very little detail about the plot, only that it was about Dracula’s consorts.
This is most definitely in my top 10 reads of the year. It was tragic, beautiful, poetic, romantic and heart-breaking all at the same time. The pace was steady throughout and I loved the way the book was presented through a series of letters.
I’ve had personal experience with some of the toxic behaviours explored in this book and found it quite healing to read. I would however, encourage you to check TW before reading.
4.5 stars
A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have been saving this book for spooky season and I’m so glad I did. It was the perfect book to enjoy as a respite between my darker autumnal reads.
The plot isn’t ground breaking and it is 100% predictable, but it was so much fun. The spooky vibes were there, the town of Glimmer Falls sounds hilarious and I would absolutely visit given the chance. The characters were incredibly relatable despite being supernatural beings, and the dynamic between our two MC’s had the perfect balance of hilarity and tension.
I wasn’t expecting the ‘spice’ to hit that hard, but I loved it. Ozroth is a giant cuddly bear who is absolutely obsessed with Mariel (I also ate up the ‘fish out of water’ trope we had here). I will absolutely be carrying on with the next book when it’s released as I can’t wait to see how Calladia & Astaroth fare.
4 stars
Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’m sorry to say, that this book was a bit of a let-down for me. It started out promising, if a little slow. But once the plot started revealing itself I was intrigued. However, this was very short lived as the majority of the book feels very stagnant. There really isn’t much of a plot apart from the two main characters arguing in circles around each other. Which to begin with is quite funny and builds tension, but when they are constantly re-hashing the same things over and over and over again, I wanted to scream.
The language used is very dense and I had to re-read some parts as the structuring didn’t quite flow. The conflict with the antagonistis resolved very quickly and we are left kind of floundering at the end with 100 pages still left to go.
Overall, the potential is here but it just never quite lifted off the ground for me.
3 stars
The language used is very dense and I had to re-read some parts as the structuring didn’t quite flow. The conflict with the antagonist
Overall, the potential is here but it just never quite lifted off the ground for me.
3 stars
Hideaway by Penelope Douglas
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley & Little Brown Book UK for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review
One Dark Window was one of my favourite books of 2022 so I’m not going to lie, I had high hopes and expectations for this sequel.
I have to give the author praise for how Elspeth’s character was written and portrayed in this book. The balance between The Nightmare and Elspeth’s inner monologue was so interesting. At no point was I wishing for the conclusion to that element of the plot to hurry up. But when it inevitably did, I had tears in my eyes. It was risky to have the main character be pretty much absent for the majority of the book but it paid off.
The new POV’s really rounded this book out for me. I was a little surprised to see Elm’s appear and was a little hesitant about whether or not I would like it. But as points started clicking into place and his arc progressed, his chapters were some of the most intriguing - as well as providing some unexpectedly romantic scenes.
I’m so sad to say goodbye to this world, but I enjoyed every moment of my time in it. A perfect ending to an excellent duology.
4.5 stars
The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley & Bonnier Books UK for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is a dark fantasy standalone that is bursting with lore and mythological creatures. Our main character Atia, was fun to read about and I loved the fact that she was an anti-hero of sorts.
Silas had a lot of my favourite qualities in an MMC (sarcastic but charming, stoic but secretly fighting his inner emotions) and whilst his arc might have been predictable, I still enjoyed it.
Overall, this was an entertaining read but the story wasn’t particularly unique and the dialogue felt a little cringey at times.
3 stars